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Bestiary
Herbivorous - International Rabites - Common, bunny-like monsters in and around Fontraile with round bodies and big buck teeth. Popular as pets and as guard animals. Slimes - Slimes are small creatures that are mostly fluid. The term "squidgy," if it ever applies anywhere, will apply here. Slimes come in several varieties with different attributes. Generally, though, they are somewhat water-drop-shaped, somewhat goopy feeling, somewhat swift, and decent with magic (though there are distinct counterexamples to all of these). The actual slime part of slimes (i.e. the slime inside a Sea Slime's shell) ranges from six inches to a foot tall unless otherwise stated. Ether Scarab - A bizarre creature from the Ethereal, Ether Scarabs are colorful scavengers that subsist on plants, small insects, and lambent magical energy. They are noted for their trio of trinocular eyes, giving them exceptional vision. Individually they resemble small beetles, about a foot in length, with a long, upward tilt. They can easily tear open rifts to and from the Ethereal, through a process not entirely understood. The creatures are largely harmless, but will violently explode if killed. Herbivorous - Augustgradian Flare Beetle - A misnomer, as this creature is not a beetle. This harmless creature is a giant relative of the fireflies common to more temperate regions. The creatures attract mates with flashes of light flickered in certain paterns. Most commonly, these creatures give off a soft red light from their abdomens, hence the name. They primarily subsist on lichens and other hardy desert plants most other species find unpalatable. They are common prey for several other species in Augustgrad. Predatory - Augustgradian Sawscale - A Sandserpent (snake dragon) that is common in the Augustgradian Wasteland. One of the smaller Sandserpents, the Sawscale is nonetheless dangerous. It is named for the tiny bone spurs dotting its length that allow it to slash at prey by twisting around it. a cluster of huge spined growths around its head give it a menacing appearance. Though normally not venemous, larger specimens pose a threat to humans. Sandshark - A bipedal piscene creature with wide fins that is as comfortable in the desert sands as most are in the water. Subsisting mostly on smaller animals (especially Sandhoppers), Sandsharks are omnivores and adaptable creatures, becoming predators in times of plenty and scavengers in times of scarcity. Most species have been domesticated by the local Beastman tribes for use as mounts and guard animals, but the creatures are still commonly found in the wild. They are afraid of vehicles as a general rule and are easily startled by extremely loud noises. Herbivorous - Neo Arcadia Viresect - A bizarre creature that was encountered by Neo Arcadian researchers only a few years ago. Believed to be genetically engineered, Viresects resemble Dragonflies but with two sets of legs and 3 sets of wings. In the wild they are common prey for birds and other insectivores despite a terrifyingly fast flight speed and they subsist primarily on plant nectar. They are dangerous, however, because they respond to psionic presences with violence - if a Viresect senses an individual with psionic potential, it will charge forward with incredible velocity - and strike with the force of a rifle bullet. Such an impact is instantly fatal to the Viresect, but potentially quite injurious to the target as well. Neo Arcadian staff have taken considerable steps to prevent the spread of Viresects outside their native habitat. Herbivorous - Mirandian Kakratar - Sometimes called a "stinkapillar" by Mirandian BPU units, this creature is the larval form of the Helix Moth. Kakratars are known for the horrid stench they give off when killed, and the intense, ear-splitting shriek they give off when frightened or startled. Dangerous to larger creatures in groups, Kakratars are the preferred prey of Webweavers - the larvae are quite fond of Webweaver eggs, and are among the few creatures that get the ambush predators to actively leave their webs and go hunting. Predatory - Mirandian Helix Moth - The adult form of the Kakratar. A huge moth with a 15-foot wingspan and beautiful black-and-white dappled patterns in the shape of a whorl, hence the name. Noted for a fondness for blood, which it drinks. Its favored prey includes rabites, slimes, and other small animals. Because its dietary requirements are relatively small, its prey often actually survive attacks - though not for long if a large number of moths attack the same victim. Brooding females, however, require much more nutrition. Helix Moths often attack humans when hungry enough, and though individually pose little threat, they are very aggressive and their bites tend to become infected easily. Their wing dust contains an irritant that is valued by alchemists. Webweaver - A sizable Mirandian giant spider species known for its relatively high intelligence. Natural enemy of the Kakratar. Though they occasionally attack humans, this is rare. Webweavers are named for their webs, which are often very large and coated in psychotropic toxins that cause violent hallucinations. Extremely large specimens do not eat the heads of vertebrate prey, leading to the morbid belief that Webweavers take trophies. Grendel - A rare predatory creature from the Mirandian region believed to be a primeval evolutionary offshoot from Fire Lizards. Noted for their ferocious demeanor and bladed tails, they have the ability to unleash an electrical charge from their bodies. Grendels were once much more common, but purges by the Mirandian BPU have curbed their numbers considerably. Predatory - Paramisian Behemoth - A legendary beast first encountered in Hannelstone. A massive monster that blends traits from great cats, a massive bull, and a dragon into a creature with terrifying physical and magical strength. Currently believed extinct, Paramisian forces continue to monitor below-ground activity closely, in the event one appears. Smaller specimens have been encountered in outlying regions overseas, especially in Rokuma, indicating that these monsters were possibly introduced from outside. Northern Wyvern - Famous in Paramisian lore for their role as mounts, Wyverns are bipedal draconic predators with sting-tipped tails and massive wings. They are capable of flight and have the ability to breathe fire as well. Though purportedly quite stupid, they are better described as tactically-challenged - Wyverns have a place of pride in Paramisian culture - both as enemies and as mounts, and most of the remaining Northern Wyvern population is domesticated. Predatory - Westerlian Malboro - A fungoid creature possessed of notorious toxicity, the Malboro eats carrion. It thrives in water and it is known for the ability to exhale large clouds of rancid gas, a by-product of their diet and natural spores. Their bite is likewise infectious. Ironically, Malboros are relatively intelligent and easy to train - with some practice they can become valuable guardians should one not mind the smell. Malboros are highly valued by Alchemists for their spores and body humors. Occasionally, human DNA has been found in the body structure of Malboros - no one has yet been able to determine why this is so. Despite originating in Westerly, this creature can be found in De Midian and Miranda as well. Predatory - De Midian Broken One - Horrifying undead that are comprised of countless corpses, animated by the spread of the shadow, these diseased abominations now exist solely to add to their own mass. The undead have ample reason to fear this beast, which preys upon all creatures, living and dead. One of the core focuses of attempts by the De Midian provincial military is to exterminate beasts such as these. Predatory - Raxian Silver Wyvern - An unusual wyvern subspecies believed to stem from inter-breeding between Northern Wyverns and Silver Dragons, the Silver Wyvern is noted for its highly-polished, mirror-like scales. Smaller than the Northern Wyvern and lacking a sting-equipped tail, it breathes a deadly beam of frost. A high-level predator, only larger monsters in Raxis give it any real threat. Remorhaz - An insectile, burrowing Raxian predator that generates enormous heat inside its body which serves as its primary form of attack. The heat of its body is such that injuries it suffers give off gouts of fire, and it can attack with searing blasts of flame. It is also known for the bizarre tactic of flinging bits of its own shell, superheated as they are, as projectiles. Though larger specimens are extremely dangerous, the juveniles are commonly preyed upon well before they reach adulthood by many other creatures, and are prized by alchemists - their bodily fluids are a central ingredient to a number of powerful potions.